Terms of Reference

The Independent Evaluation Office (IEO) has been established to systematically conduct objective and independent evaluations on issues, and on the basis of criteria, of relevance to the mandate of the Fund. It is intended to serve as a means to enhance the learning culture within the Fund, strengthen the Fund's external credibility, and support the Executive Board's institutional governance and oversight responsibilities. IEO has been designed to complement the review and evaluation work within the Fund and should, therefore, improve the institution's ability to draw lessons from its experience and more quickly integrate improvements into its future work.

Structure and accountabilities

IEO will be independent of Fund management and staff and will operate at arm's-length from the Fund's Executive Board. Its structure and modalities of operation must protect its operational independence - both actual and perceived.

The Director will be appointed by the Executive Board for a non-renewable term of six years. In exceptional circumstances, the term may be extended by the Executive Board by no more than one year. The Director will be an official of the Fund, but not a staff member. The Director's appointment may be terminated at any time with the approval of the Executive Board. At the end of the term of service, the Director will not be eligible for appointment or reappointment to the regular staff of the Fund. The Director will be responsible for the selection of IEO personnel (including external consultants) on terms and conditions to be determined by the Board, with a view to ensuring that the office is staffed with independent and highly-qualified personnel. The majority of full-time IEO personnel will come from outside the Fund.

Responsibilities

The Director of IEO will be responsible for the preparation of the Work Program. The content of the Work Program should focus on issues of importance to the Fund's membership and of relevance to the mandate of the Fund. It should take into account current institutional priorities, and be prepared in light of consultations with Executive Directors and management, as well as with informed and interested parties outside the Fund. The Director will present IEO's Work Program to the Executive Board for its review.

IEO, through its Director, will report regularly to the Executive Board, including through the preparation of an Annual Report. It is also expected that the IMFC will receive regular reports on the activities and findings of IEO.

With respect to individual evaluations, staff, management and-when appropriate-the relevant country authorities, will be given an opportunity to comment on the assessments being presented to the Executive Board.

The Director of IEO, in consultation with Executive Directors, will prepare a budget proposal for IEO for consideration and approval by the Executive Board. Its preparation will be independent of the budgetary process over which management and the Office of Budget and Planning have authority, but its implementation will be subject to the Fund's budgeting and expenditure control procedures. IEO's budget will be appended to that of the Executive Board within the Fund's Administrative Budget.

If requested by the Executive Board, IEO will provide technical and administrative support for any external evaluations launched directly by the Executive Board.

Consultation, publication, and external relations

In carrying out its mandate, including in the preparation of its Work Program, IEO will be free to consult with whomever and whichever groups it deems necessary, both within and outside the Fund.

IEO will have sole responsibility for drafting IEO evaluations, Annual Reports, press releases and other IEO documents or public statements.

IEO's Work Program will be made public and there will be a strong presumption that IEO reports will be published promptly (within the constraints imposed by the need to respect the confidentiality of information provided to the Fund by its members), unless, in exceptional circumstances, the Executive Board were to decide otherwise.

Publication of evaluations will be accompanied by comments from management, staff, and others, including relevant country authorities, where appropriate, along with the conclusions reached by the Board in considering the evaluation report.

Relations with Fund staff and management

In conducting its work, IEO should avoid interfering with operational activities, including current programs.

Review of experience with IEO

Within three years of the launch of IEO operations, the Executive Board should initiate an external evaluation of IEO to assess its effectiveness and to consider possible improvements to its structure, mandate, operational modalities, or Terms of Reference. Without prejudging how that review would be conducted, it should be understood that the review would include the solicitation of broad-based input from outside the official community.

Terms of Reference

Duties and Responsibilities

The Director will be responsible for establishing and carrying out the work program of the Independent Evaluation Office (IEO). The duties and responsibilities of the Director shall be performed consistently with the Terms of Reference of the IEO. The plans for and prioritization of the work program will be prepared in consultation with members of the Executive Board and Management. The Director will present an annual work program to the Executive Board for review no less than sixty days in advance of the beginning of each fiscal year. The Director will provide support for the conduct of evaluations that are initiated by the Executive Board and will adjust or revise the work program of the IEO to accommodate such evaluations. Amendments to the work program will be presented to the Executive Board for review.

The Director will be responsible for the management of the budget of the IEO and has the authority to commit resources from IEO’s budget. The budget for the IEO will be prepared and monitored in a manner that is consistent with the way that the Fund’s Administrative Budget is prepared and monitored. The budget will be submitted within the time required so that it can be incorporated in and approved by the Executive Board along with the Fund’s Administrative Budget.

The Director will be responsible for the management of the personnel of the IEO, in consultation with the Human Resources Department (HRD). The Director will organize and supervise the personnel and determine individual responsibilities.

The Director will select the persons to fill noncontractual positions and will inform the Executive Board at least two weeks in advance of any action to appoint, promote or dismiss IEO employees at the equivalent of Grade B1 or above. The Director will approve IEO employees’ term of service; establish performance plans; conduct performance assessments; approve classifications of positions and decide upon salary adjustments within the Fund’s structure of staff grades and salaries; approve changes in titles or levels; and approve training for IEO employees. In these matters, the same rules and procedures applicable to staff members will be applied by the Director to the IEO employees. In the event that the special status of the IEO makes it necessary to alter these rules and procedures, the Director, IEO, after consultation with the Director, HRD, and the Executive Board, may adapt these rules and procedures to the same extent as may be authorized by the Managing Director with respect to staff. In particular, appointments and promotions of IEO employees do not require approval by Fund staff or review by the Review Committee or the Senior Review Committee. The Director, IEO will inform the Executive Board and the Director, HRD of such adaptations of the rules and procedures. The Director will, subject to the paramount importance of securing the highest standards of efficiency and technical competence, pay due regard to the importance of diversity, particularly international diversity, in recruiting IEO personnel. The Director will sign the initial appointment letters of employees for terms of up to four years, and he or she may approve extensions of those appointments and may decide to terminate such appointments. The actions referred to in this paragraph shall be carried out in accordance with the provisions of individuals’ terms of appointment and consistent with the attached “Terms and Conditions of Appointment of Non-contractual Employees of the Independent Evaluation Office (IEO)”. The Director will comply with the dispute resolution provisions of IEO employees’ terms of appointment.

For contractual services, the Director may execute agreements as he or she considers appropriate for the conduct of the functions of the IEO on terms and conditions that are consistent with the policies and procedures applicable to employment or procurement contracts of the Fund.

The Director will comply with financial control policies, regulations, and procedures that apply in the Fund.

The Director will submit an annual report to the Executive Board of the IEO’s activities which will contain an overview of its activities and of the evaluations conducted. In addition, the Director will provide the Executive Board with reports of the IEO’s activities on a regular periodic basis and upon request.

The Director will adopt, in consultation with Executive Board, standard rules for the publication of evaluation reports and other documents produced by the IEO.

The Director, in consultation with the Executive Board, will identify the criteria that will be used in evaluations conducted by the IEO.

Accountability

In the conduct of the activities of the IEO, the Director will take into account the Executive Board’s reactions to its reports and assessments of the performance of the IEO. The Director and personnel of the IEO will cooperate with the conduct of assessments of IEO’s effectiveness that are undertaken by the Executive Board.

Independent Judgment

Actions taken by the Director will be taken on the basis of his or her independent judgment.

Relationship with Executive Directors

The Director may consult with Executive Directors in groups or individually on matters relating to the activities of the IEO. Information provided to any Executive Director will be made available to other Executive Directors. The Director will ensure that IEO personnel honor these guidelines.

The Director, and IEO personnel, will respect the confidentiality of information or views provided on a confidential basis by any Executive Director; such information or views may be taken into consideration, but the identity of the source will not be disclosed.

Relationship with Fund Management and Staff

The Director may consult with and shall have the right to obtain information from members of Management and staff to carry out the work program of the IEO, except to the extent that the information requested is subject to the attorney-client privilege. The Director will respect the confidentiality of views expressed in confidence by Management or staff; if such views are included in any reports or other documents, the identity of the source will not be disclosed. Information obtained from Management or staff that was provided by officials of a member (or other source) on a confidential basis will not be disclosed by the Director or IEO personnel without the consent of the member (or other source). When the source of the information obtained from Management or staff is an official of a member of the Fund, such official, or another official representing the member, will be notified of the information obtained and will be given an opportunity to comment upon the matter.

Relationship with External Persons and Organizations

The Director will consult with and provide information to external persons, organizations, and the public about the IEO’s activities and the findings and conclusions reached in its evaluations, in so far that disclosures are consistent with the obligations regarding confidentiality and the Terms of Reference of the IEO.